Unbroken
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Sofia has not been handling Erine's demise well and is starting to unintentionally snap at people. Desiring to help settle his partner's anguish, Cedric takes it upon himself to help heal her troubled heart. (Note: Takes place after "Beyond the Looking Back Glass")


Unbroken

Summary: Sofia has not been handling Erine's demise well and is starting to unintentionally snap at people. Desiring to help settle his partner's anguish, Cedric takes it upon himself to help heal her troubled heart. (Note: Takes place after "Beyond the Looking Back Glass")

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Erine, Nana, and Tanya (all mentioned) belong to MarionetteJ2X!

A/N: This came about from a lot of different sources, but Creepy-Pasta really influenced this story being created. I've gotten a lot of great input from some of my _amigos_ as well, so they've definitely contributed to this being developed. It was established last night, because we needed an outlet. Sofia isn't herself right now (for obvious reasons) and needs the opportunity to express herself. So, that's what this is. 😊 "Baby Mine" will still be written soon, followed by a secret story after. By the way, this story is pure FLUFF and all about healing, letting go of anger, and realizing the good that's still around. ;) Hope you enjoy!

*Story*

"_Sofia?"_

"_Sofia!"_

"_Princess Sofia, I—"_

"Hey, Sof, you—"

"STOP!"

James blinked in surprise as his younger sister held her hands to her ears, eyes squeezed shut and her brow furrowed. "Um…" He swallowed nervously before hesitantly reaching out and gently patting her arm, getting her attention. "I hate to ask this question, because I can tell you're _totally _not, but… You okay?"

Sofia dropped her hands to her sides as James carefully wrapped an arm around her. "James, I'm sorry…" She sighed as he pulled her into a loving hug, which she more than appreciated from her brother at this point. She returned it before glancing up at him. "It's just… Ever since everything happened with…well, you know…" She frowned as he released her, and she folded her arms. "Everyone is always wanting to _check _on me and make sure I'm _okay_."

The prince winced at her words. "Yeah… Sorry about that. I guess we're just worried, is all."

"I know… You, Mom, Dad, Baileywick, Amber, Cedric, the girls, and even Juan-Luís on Violet's upstairs clean-up crew." She shook her head as the blonde prince smirked. "You know he sent me a bunny made out of towels just to cheer me up?"

"That's kinda cute. What did you do with it?"

She looked away, wringing her hands together. "I…sort of…threw it against the wall…"

"_Sofia_…" He sighed, placing his hands over her shoulders. "Look, clearly you're _not_ okay. You're snapping at people, which is unlike you. Tanya said you had another nightmare last night. You've been either sad, angry, or just incredibly moody throughout the last few days. _Amber _is even scared to see you right now, 'cause…"

Sofia bit her lip, raising one of her hands to her forehead. "She doesn't want any stress with the baby… Oh, James, I've been awful, haven't I?"

He smirked. "Everyone else is scared of Amber's wrath. Honestly, I think yours is worse, because who would expect it from Miss Happy-Go-Lucky?" His smirk dissolved into a sad smile as he reached out and took her hand. "You have every right to be angry, though… Just…maybe take it out on something…less human? Or fluffy and cute, like your poor towel bunny?"

She nodded sheepishly, squeezing his hand. "I'll figure out something. And I'll be fine. I'm Sofia! I'm always fine."

* * *

"You're _not _fine," Cedric quietly admonished his partner later that evening after they'd tucked Tanya and Nana into his bed for a change. Given Sofia's state of mind recently, they'd both agreed it was best if the girls stayed with him for the time being, until she could regain control of her emotions, especially her anger.

"I _am_, Cedric!" she challenged in a heated whisper, trying not to wake the sleeping girls. She slapped a hand over her mouth as she saw Nana turn a bit, facing away from them and cuddling closer to Tanya. She sighed, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of his bedchambers, back to the workshop, where they could speak more freely. "I'm—"

The sorcerer put one finger to his partner's lips, frowning. "If you say, 'I'm fine' one more time, I will put a silencing spell on you." He sighed as she rolled her eyes before folding her arms, and he then lowered his hand. "Listen, I think it's quite obvious that you haven't had the chance to process things. And you certainly haven't been able to heal yet, given that you came straight back to your duties and obligations like always. And since you _haven't _been able to process your grief like one would normally do, you've been taking it out on other people. Need I remind you of the visitors from Tangu the other day?"

She frowned. "I wish you wouldn't…"

"You insulted their carpets, Sofia… Their magical flying carpets…" He waved one hand, stating verbatim what his partner had muttered a little too loudly when Zandar's parents had visited: "'I don't get what the big deal is. They're just rugs. You step on them all your life, dirty them, then toss them out when you're finished, like they never meant anything to you. Magical or not, you don't care about them, so why should we?'"

The princess groaned lightly, holding her head in her hands. "I've been…terrible, haven't I?"

"Ghastly. Abhorrent. Despic—"

She glared at him from beneath her swooping bangs, which were in as much of a state of disarray as she was at the moment. "Okay, _I get it_, Cedric…" She sighed when he chuckled a bit. "I just don't know how to handle this… I can't unsee what I saw. I don't know how _you _aren't filled with just as much anger as I am… Didn't it affect you at all?"

The royal sorcerer paused upon hearing her words before taking her right hand into his left. "Come here." He led her over to a part of the workshop where two of his red curtains were drawn closed, behind which was one of his large 12-pane windows.

Sofia frowned as they stopped before the curtains, realizing they'd usually be drawn aside at this time of the day. "Why are they closed?"

Cedric inhaled slowly before pulling them apart, revealing his secret.

The princess gaped at the shattered glass. It hadn't broken all the way through to let in the winter draft from outside, but the shards were still prominent enough to take her aback. She noticed that while most of the shattered glass had traces of magic lingering within the lines (indicating he'd used his wand to strike those), the third glass pane from the top on the left had something more…sanguine… And not in the positive sense. She turned to her partner and gently lifted both of his hands, her eyes darting over both of them. She then released his left hand as all her attention turned to his right one, her fingers deftly removing his fingerless glove. She bit back a gasp. "Cedric…"

He winced a bit as she ran her fingers over his own, and over his knuckles as well. There was definitely bruising, and there were a few traces of healing cuts in his skin, which had certainly not occurred on their own. While she empathetically caressed his hand, he sighed. "I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't show you… I can't tell you to get hold of your anger and process your grief if I myself am not willing to do so as well…" He curled his fingers around hers, smiling softly as she looked up at him with startled blue eyes. "And I am. I think the best thing for both of us would be to get out of here for a day or so, and we can figure things out…together."

She nodded, finally smiling softly as she placed her other hand over his. "Okay."

.

* * *

"But it's two days before Wassailia," Roland protested gently, not wanting to upset Sofia (or any of the others, for that matter). "Not that I don't think healing is important, but…" He sighed, looking toward his youngest daughter. "Will you be back in time for the celebration?"

Sofia smiled. "I will, Dad. _We _will. I just think this is something we need to do…"

"What exactly is there-_wherever_ you're going-that's not here to help you heal, Sofia?" Amber asked, genuinely curious as she sat on her throne, Desmond behind her and gently massaging her shoulders.

"That's exactly it, Amber: there's literally _nothing _where we're going…" The younger princess glanced up at her partner, who smiled down at her. "And… I think right now, the fewer distractions there are, the better off I'll be—_we'll _be—and… Hopefully that will help with Wassailia too. We _will _be back for that; I promise."

"Are you taking Nana and Tanya?" Miranda asked, already knowing the answer as Corban sat on his own tiny throne nearby, pouting with his little arms folded. She laughed softly upon seeing her son's reaction.

"No, Your Majesty," Cedric responded for her. "Cordelia and Calista have already said they'll watch them for us, and we've spoken to the girls. Nana doesn't know specifics, of course, though we did explain things a bit more clearly to Tanya, and she understands. I think they both do, in their own way."

"All right," Roland relented with a nod. "Just be careful. And Sofia, I'm holding you to your promise." He smiled at her, watching as she nodded. "Home before Wassailia?"

"I promise, Dad."

* * *

"I wasn't expecting to be back in the AutoCoach so soon," Sofia murmured quietly a while later as they flew through the air, the destination unknown to her (but clearly, not to Cedric).

"I know." He finished setting the coordinates before settling down in his seat. "But trust me. I think you're going to actually like this place. I discovered it years ago when I detoured a bit while on the way back to the castle from one of my Conjuror's Conferences."

She smirked. "Not too keen on getting home so quickly, huh?"

He shrugged as he leaned back against his seat. "It was less 'home' then and more 'back to work,' so…"

"So, you delayed returning to work just so you could get some time to yourself. _Mr. Cedric_…" She snickered as he rolled his eyes. "Seriously though, Cedric, the more time that passes by, the more I understand your perspective."

Cedric offered her a dim smile. "I know, Sofia… And that's what I'm trying to prevent. The last thing I want is for you to end up like me. Or at least, like the way I once was…"

"I know." She frowned as he watched her contemplatively. "Maybe I'm not 'fine' right now, but… I will be."

He nodded. "Of course, you will. But you owe yourself this break from reality. No one can function properly after witnessing…something like _that_. Nor should they."

The princess pondered his words before sighing and leaning against the wall of the coach. "I guess."

Cedric frowned. This might be harder than he'd initially thought…

* * *

Once they'd touched down on the sandy shores of what appeared to be an abandoned beach on a deserted island, Sofia felt a slight panic rush through her. This was eerily familiar as far as the situation went, but…

"Don't worry," the sorcerer assured the princess, smirking as he watched her panic-stricken face morph into one of mild relief after hearing his words. "Our magic _will _work here." He opened the door and stepped out, holding out his hand and helping her down next. "I'll take care of everything: a fire, some food, a place to rest… You just…" He noticed her far off look as she gazed out at the overlapping waves. He placed one hand on her waist and guided her forward, urging her to sit down in the sparkling white sand (which she did). "Stay here. Relax for a while. All right?" Seeing her nod, he turned and left.

While it was still winter, Sofia instantly noticed that this beach wasn't nearly as cold as it was in Enchancia at the moment. Given the tropical environment, it didn't surprise her. She sort of missed the cold, though, because that's what she associated with Wassailia: not this warmer climate. Still… She knew what Cedric had planned was important (to him, and most likely, to _her _as well), so she would go through with it.

She watched the tumble of the waves, the color of the water practically matching her eyes. And she knew that beneath that water lay something much deeper and darker than what was reflected on the surface. "Like me?" she wondered quietly, lowering her head to her arms as she leaned onto her knees.

Cedric finally finished setting up the essentials. He had a fire going with a few plates of food already conjured. There were several blankets and pillows set near the fire but not too close. The AutoCoach was underneath one of the palm trees. Now he just needed his partner.

He turned and saw Sofia sitting in the same spot where he'd left her before. She looked so focused on whatever she was thinking about that he almost didn't want to interrupt her.

_Almost_.

"Sofia."

She glanced up from the water to the sorcerer, who was holding out a hand to her. Sighing, she accepted and stood up, brushing the sand from her outfit and hair. "So… What do we do first?"

He smiled calmly. "I have a few ideas."

* * *

They ate first, because he knew she was probably hungry from the ride. They hadn't eaten anything since breakfast that morning, and it was probably close to 5:00 PM now. After they'd eaten, he magically removed the remnants of the dishes and sat next to her beside the fire.

"Let's talk," he said after sitting with her for several moments in silence, simply watching the crackling fire and how it steadily licked at the kindling he'd provided.

"Just like that, huh?" She glanced over at him, shrugging. "What do you want me to say, Cedric?"

"Whatever you've been holding back. Whatever has eaten away at my partner and has turned her into this angry, distraught, perplexing soul I have beside me now. Because to be honest, I miss _my _Sofia."

"Yeah, well…" She frowned as she picked up a dried piece of seaweed, slowly studying it. "I think you know what happened to your Sofia, Cedric…"

"I'm not going to assume _anything_." As he said that, she turned to him. "Tell me."

She tossed the seaweed into the fire, watching it burn. "Fine." She then turned to fully face him, watching as he did the same. "I _am _angry. I'm angry that Erine had such horrible parents who basically abandoned her to _die _just because she couldn't talk, and because she would make their stupid 'reputation' look bad. I'm angry that her poor brothers never got the closure with their little sister that they deserved. I'm angry that the Tenebrous _existed_ in the first place."

Cedric listened attentively as her ranting grew more heated, her cheeks turning red and her eyes filling with tears.

"I'm angry that those _things_—not even people, but _things_—were stealing human beings for sacrifice. And children—_children_?! Children are innocent, Cedric!" She looked down after she noticed that he was watching her with such sympathetic eyes. She couldn't handle that right now. "I'm angry that we had to see someone who was trying her best to comfort Erine lying cold and lifeless… And then to see _her_—" She had to stop, trying to calm her nerves and stop herself from _shaking_. And it wasn't because she was cold, because right now, she wasn't. She was _furious_.

Now was probably the time to be a bit comforting. Cedric reached out to her and placed his gloved hand over hers, his fingers softly caressing her wrist.

Sofia let out a deep breath. "I'm…angry that we couldn't stop what happened… That we had to just let the past happen…" She sniffled. "But I'm also angry at _myself_…for being grateful that Nana was okay, when she was the result of Erine's death, and then feeling that way because it seemed like I wanted Erine to live in _spite _of Nana or…_instead_ of her? I… And I don't want that! I want Nana to live a good, long, healthy, happy life, but-!" She released a shuddering breath, realizing she was close to hyperventilating. "Why did Erine have to die for Nana to live? Why should one child's life be sacrificed for another one to exist?!"

Cedric immediately gathered her into his arms, allowing her to sob into his chest, his robe quickly dampening from her tears. He didn't mind, though. This is what she needed, and he knew it. She needed to talk things out. She needed to release her anger and frustration. Everything she'd said, he'd suspected, but… Hearing _her _say those things definitely made far more sense.

After she'd cried for a few minutes, she finally looked up, her face an absolute mess with tears leaking from her eyes and down her cheeks, mixing in with some of her loosening hair from her braid. She sniffled as Cedric reached out, cupping her face in his hands, slowly smoothing the tears from her eyes.

"Can I be honest?" she asked timidly, watching his reaction.

"I'd want nothing more," he assured her.

"I was…angry at _you_ too…and Malango."

He smiled compassionately as he heard that. "I had a feeling, honestly… But may I ask why?"

She frowned as he lowered his hands. "It's stupid… I was mad at Malango for showing us this whole thing in the first place, and I was mad at both of you for stopping me from saving Erine. I get why you did, of course, but…" She reached up, clasping her amulet. "My amulet allowed me to touch her, Cedric… Maybe I could have saved her…"

And that's when he shook his head. "I don't think you could have, Sofia… You're powerful, and there's no doubt about that. The magic you and your amulet possess is immeasurable and fantastic. But…" He took her hand. "Let's be honest, my dear… Your heart prevented that from happening."

"My…heart?"

He nodded, a solemn yet sincere expression on his face. "I think deep inside, you knew that even if you tried to save Erine, things would still turn out either exactly the same or worse. Erine's life should have been better, and it bothered you—and me—knowing that it wasn't. However, when we get home, I want you to take a good long look at our little Strawbaby."

She smiled at the mentioning of their charge, whom she loved with all her heart (as if there were any doubt).

"The physical form of Erine may no longer exist, but she still lives through Nana. In their own ways, Erine _is _Nana, and Nana _is_ Erine, even though they're different…" He chuckled as she held her head. "I know, it's confusing, but… I theorize that if we continue to take care of Nana like we have been, we're also taking care of Erine, because she quite literally (and unintentionally, of course) gave her life for Nana to exist…"

"Mm…" The frown returned to her features. "I'm glad the Never Realm was destroyed. If I came across any of those Tenebrous, knowing then what I know now, I can't say that I wouldn't try to destroy them all myself—in the most painful ways imaginable… Because you don't do that to anyone, much less children…"

Cedric glanced back at the fire for a few moments before looking toward his partner. "Speaking of children…"

Sofia blinked at him.

"You and I both know we don't just see Tanya and Nana as our charges anymore…" He smiled softly as she blushed a bit. "They are, for all intents and purposes, our…daughters, I suppose."

She smiled.

"So…" He cleared his throat, clasping his hands in his lap. "If we are going to be better to them than what they grew up with, maybe we should start having a very real and necessary conversation…"

Sofia tugged down her sleeves distractedly. "Um… What did you have in mind exactly?"

"Until Nana came into the picture, I honestly didn't think I had any parental skills whatsoever."

She laughed. "I don't know. I've seen you scold Wormwood on more than one occasion."

"Yes, well…" He rolled his eyes. "Wormy is a different breed. Literally. Anyway, they won't stay little forever. At least…" He frowned thoughtfully. "I don't…_think_ so… Hmm, we will have to look into that. Regardless, we need to start looking at things for their future: education, how to handle discipline if necessary, boundaries—"

"Oh, wow, you were serious about the whole 'daughters' thing." She stared at him in surprise. "I mean… I know they _are_…our girls, but…"

"I'll tell you what." He took her hand again, squeezing it reassuringly. "I'll handle discipline."

She laughed. "_You_?"

He offered her an annoyed glance. "Yes, _me_. What? Do you really think I don't know a thing or two about discipline?"

The princess smiled, rolling her eyes. "Cedric, if Nana _ever _got into trouble and you tried to get onto her, she'd sniffle once, and you would apologize profusely with a fly cake ready on standby." She reached out and poked him playfully in the chest. "You're a pushover, _my dear_."

"Fine. _You _handle discipline. I'll handle education."

She smirked. "How about we handle everything…_together_? Like we have been doing?" She absently traced the line along his robe sleeve as she told him, "It's been working so far. If we just stick together and stay consistent, we'll be successful."

He hummed quietly, nodding. "Very well." He shifted a bit, smiling as she moved over to him and leaned up against him. "There's…something else we haven't talked about yet, you know…"

Hearing the concern in his voice, she gently tapped on his leg, earning his attention. "I'm not going anywhere, Cedric… I hope I've made that crystal clear."

The sorcerer chuckled, resting his forehead to hers. "Message received. Now then…" He leaned back and tucked some of her hair behind her ear, his fingers gently briefly caressing the shell of her ear and causing her to giggle at the sensation. "On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the highest, how angry do you still feel? As in…if I were to take you home right now, how likely are you to still hold onto some of that anger, however little?"

"Honestly…" She closed her eyes, still seeing those horrible images in her mind. She frowned as she opened her eyes, darting them in his direction. "Probably a six…and a half…"

"Oh, that's 65% angry, which isn't good. Right, come here a minute." He stood up and pulled her to her feet.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she side stepped a few seashells, her feet now bare since she'd taken off her boots and tights earlier, due to the heat. She now remained in her dark purple robe-dress, which swayed below her knees.

"You'll see." He paused several yards away from the fire, which was still going pretty strong (and was likely magically enhanced for practical purposes). He was now just at the oceanic tide, which was steadily creeping up the sand and aiming to skim over their feet. He turned to the princess, who stopped next to him. "All right, new scale." He took her hand. "On a scale of one to ten, with ten again being the highest… How much do you trust me?"

Sofia stared at him for a few moments before slowly smiling. "Fourteen."

Cedric blinked at her unexpected answer but laughed, nevertheless. "Well, um… Good. Just a moment then. I'm going to show you something I learned long ago… And which I probably should have heeded more as I grew up, but I didn't." He first took off his shoes and stockings, tossing them aside, along with his fingerless gloves. He then shed his robe and checked to make sure his pants legs were rolled up a bit.

He then walked behind the princess and untied the ribbon from the end of her braid, releasing her hair from its messily woven state. He deftly ran his fingers through her wavy locks before reaching forward and gathering the rest of her hair behind her as well.

Sofia smiled in amusement after he finished running his fingers through her hair. "Admit it. You just wanted to play with my hair again."

Cedric laughed softly, leaning forward and whispering to her, "Guilty."

The princess blushed a bit as he walked around her, grasping her hand and tugging her toward the water. She breathed in sharply as the cold water ran over her feet, sending a slight chill through her. "Cold…"

"Just a moment." He placed his hands on her arms, allowing a slow stream of warm magic to flow from his hands and into her shivering form instead. He grinned as she stared at him in wonder. "Better?"

"What _else _can you do with your magic that I don't know about?" she asked suspiciously, giggling as he once again stood next to her.

"I guess you'll just have to find out…" He smiled mischievously at her from the corner of his eye as she leaned toward him slightly, as if waiting to hear more. "Later."

"Ugh, Cedric." But she still smiled. "So… What's the purpose behind all this?"

"It's a tactic I've learned: get to the absolute basics and really get in touch with what you're feeling."

"And that requires bare feet, loose hair, and water?" She nodded with a sarcastic smirk. "Got it."

He rolled his eyes. "It's to get you more comfortable. No tension anywhere. And Sofia, no holding back…" He gestured at their surroundings. "There is literally no one on this island except you and me. Our closest neighbors are probably at least three hours away."

The princess gasped at this information as he pressed his feet more firmly into the sinking sand, the waves continuing to rush over their feet and ankles. "So… You're saying…"

"No one will stop you from saying what you want to say, screaming or releasing your anguish, or whatever you want to do… Your words won't be stifled by dense foliage or other people; rather, the waves will carry them far, far away and express what you're feeling."

She nodded slowly. "Oh… And…" Her brows knitted together as she became self-conscious. "You won't…"

Cedric shook his head. "Sofia, I brought you here for a reason. This is to help you heal." He moved in front of her and placed his hands on either side of her face, watching her uncertain features relax a bit. "I wouldn't have bothered if I didn't think you could benefit from this. It's not meant to make you uncomfortable. In fact, if you'd like, I'll do the same."

Sofia sighed in relief and grasped his hands. "Okay…"

He stepped a bit away from her, feeling a new wave rush over his feet, and as if he'd been severely wounded, he yelled out once (loudly, clearly, and decidedly long). When he finished, he sighed in relaxation, any tension he'd previously felt gone now. He nodded toward his stunned partner. "Try it, Sofia… I am almost certain that you will feel better."

She stood her ground, her hands balling into fists as her mind again betrayed her with _those _images… Images of helplessness, unfairness, innocence lost, demise… She felt hot tears sting at the corners of her eyes as she screamed into the air, a loud crash of waves echoing her sentiment as she did. She soon found herself crying again, but this time, it was a mix of anger and relief… Anger at the situation, and relief at finally being able to release it all to the sea.

Cedric stepped forward a few moments later when she finally seemed to calm down a bit, and he quickly enveloped her in a much-needed hug. "I'm so sorry you had to experience all of that, Sofia… I'm _so _sorry."

She sniffled as she hugged him tightly. "Cedric…"

"I love you so much, Sofia…"

He said it so softly and so emotionally that she almost missed it. But she didn't. She laughed in a watery tone as she looked up at him. "I love you too, Cedric… So much…" She sighed tiredly as he gathered her back into his arms, embracing her carefully yet securely as she finally let go of her rage and reunited with peace at last.

* * *

About an hour later, it had gotten much darker and the partners were lying on the piles of blankets and pillows together, relishing in the warmth of the fire as they cuddled closely together. They'd replaced all their apparel, especially since it was beginning to become much colder. They knew they would have to return to Enchancia in the morning, so rest was definitely of the essence. However, _sleep_ had yet to overtake either of them as Sofia traced the healing wounds on Cedric's right hand while he caressed her hair and back. They were content just to have this precious moment of silence and understanding between them, even after the moment of emotional release that took place quite a while ago.

"You know," Sofia finally said after the long stretch of quiet, making Cedric jump a bit, which caused her to laugh. "Sorry."

He laughed sheepishly. "It's fine. Just…wasn't expecting you to say anything after… Well…" He smiled and half shrugged before nodding to her. "Go on."

She cuddled closer to him, pulling a few of the blankets over them more snuggly. "I was just going to say… _This _is an island I'm okay with. We still have our magic. You still have your wits about you, as you say." She giggled as he rolled his eyes. "And we can leave whenever we want. Though…" She threaded her fingers through his. "I wouldn't be opposed to coming back here sometime. Just you and me…"

Cedric hummed and placed a tender kiss to her forehead. "I like that idea… Though we better not try going during the holidays again." He grinned as she snickered. "I think your family will revolt if we try pulling _that_ little stunt again."

Sofia laughed. "May I remind you that this was _your _idea in the first place?"

"I'm well aware, my dear. Thank you." He gently tugged on some of her hair. "And how are you feeling now?"

She pondered his question before sighing in content. "Better. I don't think that memory will ever go away, but in a weird way, I don't want it to… I _want_ to remember Erine, but I also want to remember what she gave up just for Nana to even _have _a life…" She brushed her thumb over his hand gently. "I will find a way to thank her for that someday…and have a way of keeping her memory alive. Though, Nana…" She smiled. "Nana is one of the best reminders I could have, and…I'm grateful for that."

"As am I, my dear…" He pulled her a bit closer as a moderate breeze rushed by, stirring the trees and what was left of their fire. "I think it's time we got some sleep."

At the mention of the oh-so-inviting word, Sofia stifled a yawn with her free hand, smiling sleepily as he chuckled. "Very funny. But honestly, sleep sounds…ah-mazing right now."

Cedric chuckled at her comment. "And _there's_ my Sofia." He smiled as she giggled. "I'm glad to see you back to yourself."

Returning his earlier affections, she kissed his cheek, causing him to sputter a bit before blushing modestly, which made her grin. "Glad to be back…"

* * *

Miranda smiled as Cedric and Sofia entered the throne room before noon the next day, both possessing an air of serenity and genuine happiness. They appeared relaxed and calm, which was a relief. "I'm guessing your trip worked?"

Sofia smiled as she leaned against her partner, who wrapped an arm around her. "You could say that."

Amber quirked a brow at them.

"Thanks to Cedric, I'm a lot happier now…" She sighed, offering her family a sorrowful look. "And I owe you guys a huge apology. I know you were only looking out for me, and I handled everything the wrong way. I'm very sorry."

"It's all right, Sofia," Roland assured her with a smile. "We're just glad you're feeling better. Or…are you?" He nodded toward the partners' stance. "You aren't weak or tired from your trip, are you?"

"What?" The princess laughed as she realized what he was referring to. "No, Dad… I'm fine." She slipped out of Cedric's hold momentarily before grabbing his hand. "We're going to go find the girls now, though. Plus, I don't know about you, but I still have a few Wassailia gifts to wrap. See you guys later!" With that, she tugged Cedric out of the room.

"Wow," James laughed. "That island must have done them both some good. Maybe they need to go back more often."

Amber smirked, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Oh, something tells me they will, dear brother…" She giggled.

The end


End file.
